Oops and Daisies

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In Praise of Slowing Down

December 12, 2018 by Liz SanFilippo Hall

slowing down with a hike

Confession time. I’m addicted to being busy. Slowing down? It's not my forte. Over my handful of decades on this earth, I’ve had to force myself more than once to quit a few things, because I’d taken on far too much. I’ve had problems saying “no” to things people asked me to do. Now, as a mom, I find myself filling our calendar with classes, “field trips” to the library and park, and play … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Self Care, Self Care & Beauty Tagged With: busy life, busy moms, life lessons, self care, self talk, slowing down

4 Holiday Gift Ideas for Busy Moms

November 20, 2018 by Liz SanFilippo Hall

4 Holiday Gift Ideas for Busy Moms

When someone asks me what I want for the holidays, it takes me awhile to come up with things. When I do have a “list” to share, it tends to be really practical stuff: socks, clothes, things to help me organize. This year, with buying a house and finishing renovations, I literally asked my mom for curtains. So what do we moms really want? Trust me when I say we’ll be super appreciative of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Self Care & Beauty Tagged With: busy moms, gift ideas, gifts, holiday gift ideas, holidays, makeup, more than mom, pamper, pampering experiences, self care

What Buying a First Home and Renovations Taught Me

July 16, 2018 by Liz SanFilippo Hall

First room home renovation

What a crazy past few months it’s been. We put an offer on a house in February. We closed in April… and we immediately dove into some renovations, namely updating the kitchen, painting the walls, and lastly but most trying, replacing pretty much all of the flooring. If I’m being honest, I’ve been a ball of anxiety ever since the kitchen was gutted. Some of the rehab work has gone smoothly. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Inspiration, Work From Home Tagged With: first home, first home ideas, home construction, home renovations, new floor, renovation before and after, renovation tips, self care, work from home

More than Mom: How I Lost – and Found – Myself After Having Kids

June 19, 2018 by Liz SanFilippo Hall

They said kids change everything. You lose sleep over them. You cry over them. Your schedule revolves around them and their needs, and somehow through it all, your heart grows with so much love. In the process, your world changes SO much. What I didn’t know, and didn’t quite expect, is just how much becoming a parent and motherhood would also change me... and how it keeps changing me as they get … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Family & Lifestyle, Parenting, Work From Home Tagged With: find myself, hobby, identity, journal, journey, mom hobbies, more than mom, parenting, permission, personal development, rediscovering yourself, self care, working on finding yourself

Reflections on Motherhood Overwhelm… and How to Cope

April 3, 2018 by Liz SanFilippo Hall

Motherhood overwhelm is real… and if I’m being honest, I’ve tried writing this blog post at least five times now. I’ve been feeling the overwhelm extra hard in the last few weeks. We put an offer in on a house (and it was accepted - yay!) but that was the easy part. There was the inspection, and the paperwork, and the negotiations, and the back and forth… and through it all, there’s this thing … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Family & Lifestyle, Parenting, Work From Home Tagged With: journal, life with kids, motherhood, motherhood overwhelm, overwhelm, parenting, self care, work life harmony

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authorlizsanfilippohall

Multi-genre author. 📚BECOMING CHARLOTTE CORDAY, a YA historical fantasy coming spring 2027 from Apprentice House Press

Ohhh my goodness, my editor totally made my MONTH Ohhh my goodness, my editor totally made my MONTH when she shared why she wants to publish my Young Adult Historical Fantasy about Charlotte Corday. Pinch me! “I was immediately pulled into the magic and fantasy elements of the story. I really loved how you connected real history to the plot without it ever feeling like I was reading something overly educational or dense. I’m honestly not much of a history person, but your writing made me curious enough to want to look into some of the historical elements more after I finished reading. I also grew up loving fantasy and magic-focused stories like Harry Potter and Percy Jackson & the Olympians, so that part really resonated with me.”#AuthorsOfInstagram #HistoricalFantasy #WritingCommunity #TimeTravel @apprenticehousepress
And I’ll have you know, I still blast my punk ro And I’ll have you know, I still blast my punk rock in the school pickup line. #Millennial #AuthorsOfInstagram #BeYourWeirdSelf #AmEditing
I spy something new I’ve created 🧐😉 If yo I spy something new I’ve created 🧐😉If you want to see it firsthand, hop on by the Wheaton Library Local Author Fest on 4/25 between 1 and 4pm!Otherwise, you’ll have to wait until next week for the full reveal 😊#WritingLife #PictureBook #AuthorsOfInstagram
I made a big change… because this account is abo I made a big change… because this account is about a whole lot more than my blog. It’s a place to celebrate my writing journey, share more about my creative life, and more. Stay tuned… there’s so much more to come! #WritingLife #MomLife #AuthorsOfInstagram
Someone told me they thought journaling was a wast Someone told me they thought journaling was a waste of time… that they weren’t into “navel gazing.” That it didn’t seem “productive.”But, take it from me, someone who has kept a journal for more than 3 decades. Journaling doesn’t necessarily mean keeping a diary… and I’m sorry, but who decided EVERYTHING needs to be productive all the time?!There can be a lot of beauty in slowing down.I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for a slower pace of life. A kinder life. A more gentle life.Journaling is a safe space, one that we can reflect, think, and grow.For me, it’s also become a place not for story endings, but beginnings.What story do you dream of telling? Do you use a journal to start working on your story? Or what does your creative process look like?#Journaling #AmWriting #MomLife #TheStoriesWeTellOurselves
What do you do when you have “too many” ideas? What do you do when you have “too many” ideas? You start where you are, and give yourself permission to begin.#FridayPoetry
When I learned that “Shift” was being marketed When I learned that “Shift” was being marketed to fans of Hunger Games, I knew I had to read it. While the book’s structure was different than what I’m used to from YA books (with some exposition up front), the concept and storytelling had me hooked:Shapeshifters stereotyped as criminalsPolitical intrigue and shady government dealingsThe main character Sybil trying to figure out who she is in a world that just didn’t seem to accept her “kind”Challenging family dynamics… especially with her brother ArtNot knowing who to trust or believeBonus: Lee’s world-building was super impressive, blending real-world elements like the beautiful Appalachian Mountains and DC with a land divided over magic and what should be done about the Shifters.I look forward to reading the sequel!Thanks for sharing an advanced copy with me @jpleeauthor! #BookReview #YAReads #AdvanceReview #FantasyBook
Do you ever create simply for the sake of creating Do you ever create simply for the sake of creating? To enjoy the process?In my attempts to spend less time on social media , I’ve been doodling and coloring with no specific plans… just to unwind and relax without a screen. It feels like a mediation of sorts.#Creativity #MomLife #ColoringForAdults
Save the date! April 25th I’ll be at a local aut Save the date! April 25th I’ll be at a local authors fest in Wheaton signing my Etta Betta and the Beast books! There might also be a sneak peek of something new 🧐💖#KidLit #AuthorEvent #WritingLife
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